


Blind Fool

by Draycevixen



Category: Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Drabble Sequence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-06
Updated: 2011-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-16 03:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/168062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draycevixen/pseuds/Draycevixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Napoleon is blinded on a mission.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [togsos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/togsos/gifts).



> The first 800 words of this were written for the MFUWSS 2009(!) Christmas drabble challenge on livejournal.
> 
> The sequence was only finished now in honour of Togsos' birthday. Happy Birthday, petal. ♥

.

“Don’t... Stop.”

“Napoleon, I—”

“Please.”

“...Snow rises above its melting point, the melt flows downward, directed by gravity but opposed by the surface tension of water. This produces evenly-spaced ripples along the flow front. These freeze as the surface temperature falls below 32oF to form the roots. Icicles grow as water dripping over the roots freezes in progressive layers. They are typically cone-shaped... _Napoleon_...”

“Need... to hear... your voice.”

Napoleon couldn’t be permanently blinded. Illya tightened his arms around the injured shivering figure and prayed to a god he didn’t believe in for the sound of an approaching helicopter.

.


	2. Chapter 2

.

“Bring. Me. My. Shoes...”

“But Mr. Solo—”

“ _NOW!_ Or I’ll—”

“You’ll what? ...You may leave, nurse... Really Napoleon, anyone would think you were me.”

Brylcreem-free hair sticking up in tufts above his bandaged eyes, Napoleon certainly didn’t look, or sound like, himself.

“Illya? ...I want my shoes!”

“You were wearing boots—”

“ _Don’t_. Just get them.”

“And _you’re_ the charming one.”

“I want to leave. I feel vuln—exposed here.”

Napoleon flinched away from his kiss.

“I can stay with—”

“My aunt’s coming.”

Napoleon couldn’t see Illya flinch.

“...What did the Doctor say Napoleon? _Tell me_. Napoleon?”

.


	3. Chapter 3

.

His usually acerbic aunt was killing him with kindness. She’d put bells on her cats so that they wouldn’t trip him, he was stuffed full of homemade cookies and the radio was belting out _Winter Wonderland_.

His dignity was in shreds but he’d been able to let Illya off the hook when he knew that loyalty alone was motivating him and Napoleon had wanted so much more than that.

 _...To face unafraid, the plans that we’ve made—”_

Napoleon struck the radio, provoking a stampede of jingling cats.

Enough brooding over what he couldn’t have... Time for a new plan.

 

.


	4. Chapter 4

.

From sleigh bells on the horses to Salvation Army Santas, New York at Christmas was enough to give Quasimodo bell envy. Frowning at the distraction, Illya went back to staring across the street at Aunt Amy’s apartment building.

 

In the hospital, Napoleon had assured him the prognosis was good and said that he was thinking of retiring early while still in one piece. Illya had foolishly admitted to his feelings, offering to leave UNCLE with Napoleon.

“Don’t be ridiculous Illya. What happened between us was... I was just bored, it didn’t mean anything.”

 

 _...Not to Napoleon_. Illya crossed the street.

 

.


	5. Chapter 5

.

“You must be Mr. Kuryakin.”

“Please, call me Illya.”

Illya was surprised when Napoleon’s aunt took his arm, talking quietly to him, while leading him slowly down her apartment’s hallway.

“Who is it, Aunt Amy?”

“It’s your friend, Illya.”

“What’s _he_ doing here?”

“Napoleon, your manners! I have to go out for a while and I asked if Illya would stay with you. He’s brought you a present.”

“It’s Scotch, Napoleon.”

“I’m surprised Illya, the way my nephew rattles on about how intelligent you are, I’d have expected something like frankincense.”

“ _Aunt Amy!_ You...”

“And that’s _my_ cue to leave.”

 

.


	6. Chapter 6

.

“You should have told Aunt Amy you were busy.”

“What and miss out on the famous Solo hospitality? I’ve just got back from a mission to a Russian floating station near the North Pole and I got a warmer welcome there... How are you, Napoleon?”

Illya placed his hand on Napoleon’s shoulder. He flinched away from Illya’s touch.

“I’m fine, never better. I have a few more days to wait for the bandages to come off and then I’m thinking of taking Nancy, you remember Nancy Belson, skiing for a few days before—”

“Stop it. We lie for a living, let’s not keep lying to each other.”

Napoleon’s shoulders slumped. “My aunt has a big mouth.”

“She’s meeting friends for lunch and then going to St. Patrick’s to light a candle to Saint Lucia for you although how a saint who couldn’t even manage to keep her own eyes could help you is—”

“Illya!”

“What? I’m not your sweet Aunt Amy and I won’t coddle you because you’re blind. Isn’t that your biggest fear, Napoleon, not of death but of being pitied? It’s why you lied about it meaning nothing. That wasn’t _nothing_. The noises you made, the things you said when I was sliding in to you, the way you arched, whimpering—”

“You arrogant—”

Illya cut off his words by wrapping his hand in to Napoleon’s shirt and dragging him in close, kissing him hard before letting him go.

“... Why did you do that?”

“Perhaps because your aunt hung mistletoe... probably because what I feel for you has _nothing_ to do with pity.”

Illya took his arm, guiding him back towards the bedrooms. Napoleon suddenly stopped.

“They think it might be permanent, Illya.”

“I’m sorry... but it’s irrelevant.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not pity, it’s love.”

.


	7. Chapter 7

.

Napoleon’s plan was simple. Once the doctor pronounced him permanently blind, he’d arranged for a nurse to escort him to the West entrance of the hospital rather than back to Illya in the waiting room. Mark would be waiting with his suitcase, ready to drive him to the airport. From there, he’d fly to England where he’d enrolled in a private school for the blind.

Instead, he was told he’d make a full recovery, his famous Solo luck kicking in again, at least until Illya dumped his suitcase at his feet.

“Congratulations. Where will you run now?” Illya walked away.

.


	8. Chapter 8

.

Illya was hiding in plain sight, managing to evade the deskbound Napoleon with ease.

Two months after the bandages were removed, after rigorous testing, Napoleon had been cleared for the field. Waverly was ready to re-team him with Illya and Napoleon practiced his responses to any form Illya’s attempted rejection of that plan might take. Getting Illya back as his partner, in all senses of the word, was all that mattered. He’d weather all of Illya’s objections.

Instead, Illya politely welcomed him back and treated him the same way he always had. As he always had before they’d slept together.

.


	9. Chapter 9

.

Illya woke to Napoleon grasping his hand.

“Sorry.”

“For doubting me? I cannot—”

“No, never. I tried to leave because I didn’t want you to sacrifice your life for me. I never doubted you.”

“You are a fool, Napoleon.”

“I know. If this bullet had crippled you, it wouldn’t make any difference to how I feel about you and I’d be hurt if you tried to leave _me_ for my own good.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you of course.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“...I really am a fool.”

“It’s lucky you are pretty.”

“Very lucky.” Napoleon kissed him.

.


End file.
